Twas the night before Christmas...

It's Christmas Eve and the child and husband are all tucked snug in their beds... while I wait downstairs for Santa to come.  For some reason, I want this Christmas to be perfect for Jude.  I know that he won't remember much, if any, of it and the little details that I'm fretting about will go completely unnoticed, but here I am regardless, wishing I had spent more time making things perfect for Christmas morning.  It seems ridiculous, especially since I'm not a type A personality at all.  There very well may be a million things I'm doing wrong in regards to raising my son, but I at least want him to always feel that I made his Christmases special.  And what I've always found so special and wonderful about Christmas isn't the presents at all.  It's snuggling up on the couch Christmas morning with hot chocolate in warm jammies while It's A Wonderful Life is on the TV in the background.  It's the electricity of the anticipation of the holiday in the air wherever you go.  It's the time to cherish not everything you have, but everyone you have.  As a child, Christmas was always so magical for me and I want Jude to have the same wonder and awe of the season as I did and still do- even if I view things differently as an adult. 

Our little Christmas.  It isn't fancy or grand, but it's ours.

The tree...

Our first ornament after we got married... 

Santa is always watching....

Jude's art project at school gets prominently displayed...

Cookies and milk are out....

Now, we just wait for Santa....

18 months

I'm absolutely floored that I am the mother of an 18 month old.  1.5 year old.  Toddler.  Quoi?

I think I've done a pretty good job of cherishing every moment with him.  It's part of the reason why I've been so absent from my blog lately as every spare second I have, I'm building blocks, being a horsey for the millionth time or getting tackled.  And I love it.

Things Jude loves at 18 months:
Blocks.
Pushing buttons- any button.
Sweeping.
Sorting all of the canned foods in the pantry.
Brushing his teeth.
Crackers.  I can't even describe to you how adorable it is when he says the word "Cwak-ah".
Going to the zoo- specifically the aquariam and the gorilla house.
Wrestling.
Identifying photos in his books.
Going into the bathroom to help by handing out rolls and rolls of toilet paper, trying to flush repeatedly, and insisting on washing his hands with you.
Giving kisses- his favorite thing is to have mommy and daddy sit on opposite sides of the room and run back and forth, back and forth, back and forth planting a big wet kiss on our mouths each trip.  ::melt:: 
Snuggling in bed between mommy and daddy.
Dancing.
Yo Gabba Gabba- we don't let him watch TV much yet, but for some reason he absolutely loses it if he sees a YGG character in a photo or on the television.
Books- the kid would look at books all day long if he could.
Buckling his highchair straps back together after he's done sitting in it.

Things Jude hates at 18 months:
Santa.
Diaper changes (still).
Going into his carseat.  (We are still rear-facing for a few reasons, so I'm sure that's part of it)
Going inside after playing outside.
When the dogs get in his way.
When I won't give him a snack whenever he points to the top of the fridge.
Toys that move or sing or dance- not a fan at all.
If he feels like he's being treated like a baby- i.e. don't cut the corn off his cob if everyone else is eating it on the cob.

Favorite books:
Mars Needs Moms
Corduroy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Tykosaurs (This really weird book with photos of babies in dinosaur costumes that we picked up at a garage sale for 25 cents.  He's obsessed with it.  We have to read it over and over and over.  I hide it sometimes, so sue me.)
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
Rumble In The Jungle
Llama Llama series

Favorite foods:
Crackers
Carrots
Sweet Potatoes
Chicken :(
Fish
Green Beans
Cheese
Broccoli
Cheerios with milk
Peas
Bananas
Cheerios
Tofu
Spaghetti

A three month recap in photos